Her Shoes

Hermione and the girls.



Thanks to my beta t_stevenson (call out to you in the chappie babe!)



Thank you Scary darling for giving Adrian a face, the gorgeous, green-eyed Alain Delon: http://faitango.files.wordpress.com/2007/07/alain-delon-qualche-anno-fa.jpg. Who still looks amazing today.



Well no shoes in this chapter but here is a lovely pic of bare feet, the pic was carefree – same as my girls: http://pro.corbis.com/images/42-17451608.jpg?size=572&uid={951A1CF0-D199-414A-8A9F-B8CD463C6FD4}



Thanks to everyone again for the amazing support for this story. If you want to drop me a line please visit my live journal account: http://margaritaabate.livejournal.com/. The story is posted there and I’m happy to chat with anyone, just friend me. You can also see the banner there, apparently GE is defective and I don’t know how the hell to fix it.



DREAMWEAVER: I have something special just for you towards the end of the story. Won’t say much more darling.



This chapter is dedicated to all women who are just damn good friends.



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“I can’t believe you didn’t shag him.”



Hermione rolled her eyes at Ginny’s outburst. “Honestly Gin, must you harp on this? That’s the third time you’ve said that. Sorry, to disappoint, but no, I didn’t shag Adrian.”



After leaving Pansy’s party, the handsome Slytherin had escorted Hermione home. Mumbling a ‘going to kill me but don’t care’ under his breath, he gave her a sweet and short goodnight kiss before Apparating home. Hermione laughed at Adrian’s overly dramatic statement. She was most certainly not going to kill him; oh how he loved to exaggerate.



Pansy poured the remainder of their first bottle of wine into their glasses and brought her glass to her lips. She gave Hermione a wry little smile. “You’re avoiding again, Hermione.”



The three women sat comfortably in the living room of Hermione’s flat. Bare foot, wearing relaxing, cozy clothing, and indulging in a sumptuous Thai feast, with three bottles of wine and a chocolate ganache torte for dessert.



“I know,” Hermione nodded in between bites of the Pad Thai she’d prepared for her friends. “I believe I’m doing a rather good job of it. Wouldn’t you agree?”



“Oh, think you’re witty do you? Seriously, though, what happened with Draco? Neither Ginny nor I have ever seen you so upset that you’d let it affect your career this way. When I Floo-called you yesterday, you were sullen and moody; today your waspish and snappy. Have you even left this flat this weekend? I swear if you don’t tell us what’s going on you won’t get a bit of the chocolate ganache torte I bought from La Maison du Chocolat.” Pansy paused for dramatic effect before threatening in a low voice, “Maybe I’ll just ask Draco myself.”



Hermione’s fork clattered onto her plate as she stared back at Pansy who was looking very determined. Oh Merlin, she meant it, she would indeed go to Draco.



Miffed, Hermione grabbed her wine and took a generous sip. “Fine. You don’t have to be such a bitch, Parkinson.”



“Well Granger, I’m just brassed off at your avoidance. I wouldn’t have to resort to these tactics if you’d just talk to us.”



Ginny hurriedly interjected, “Ladies please! Stop it. We’re friends remember?”



Looking slightly abashed, Hermione grinned a little ruefully at Pansy. “Sorry.”



“S’alright, darling. We’re just worried,” Pansy said admonishingly.



“I’ll have you both know that I did indeed leave this flat. I went shopping and ran a few errands in London as a matter of fact.” She didn’t bother to explain she had spent most of her time walking around London thinking about Draco the tosser Malfoy.



What she told them instead was about her trip to Boots for some new lip gloss, a short visit with Todd to pick up a look-book of the upcoming season’s sketched out shoe collection. She also spent time browsing Waterstone’s for the latest hardcover copy of her favorite romance author T Stevenson. Merlin, could that woman write love scenes. She had just finished reading, Diamond in the Rough, but wanted her newest bestseller, Restless. It might come as a surprise to some, but Hermione bookworm Granger did enjoy lighter reading fare, indulging in her guilty pleasure of erotic and romantic fiction occasionally. She was highly selective, of course, only reading the most erotically imaginative writers. T Stevenson was her favorite. She smiled inwardly; maybe her books were part of the reason why Hermione’s overactive lust-filled imagination was on overdrive.



She had spent the remainder of her day grocery shopping in preparation for dinner with Ginny and Pansy. “See, I was quite busy. I’ve been spending all my time today cooking Pad Thai for the two of you, thank you very much. And don't forget the delicious little appetizers you enjoyed earlier. Yes, very productive indeed.”



Ginny rolled her eyes in exasperation. “Hermione, if you don’t tell us what happened, I’ll have Pansy hold you down while I pour Veritaserum down your throat. We share everything with you, and quite frankly, it hurts that you don’t trust us enough to reciprocate.”



Guilt.



Ginny Weasley certainly knew how to play Hermione Granger and guilt was something she had honed quite well at her mother’s knee. Hermione closed her eyes. It wasn’t that she didn’t trust her friends; it was just so painful to think about what had happened with Draco. He had been so cold as if it had meant nothing to him. An ache had settled deep into her being, permeating her very bones.



She hugged her body as she hoarsely whispered, “It’s not that I don’t trust you, it’s just . . . oh Merlin . . .” A sob caught in her throat as tears began to stream down her cheeks. Hermione chokingly told them what had occurred between she and Draco. “And then, h-h-e just stood up, straightened his clothes and told me that I should go, that I shouldn’t keep Adrian w-w-aiting. H-he was obviously done in toying with me.” She hiccupped, “So I grabbed my things and ran out of there as quickly as I could. Gods, I feel so u-u-sed. How could I be so stupid?” She continued to sob as Pansy’s arms came round her. Pansy hugged her tightly while Ginny offered comforting words as she rubbed Hermione’s back soothingly.



“I’m going to flay that fucking bastard alive,” Pansy muttered.



“Hermione, it’s okay. I’m so sorry, darling,” Ginny offered.



Pansy and Ginny continued to soothe her until her tears subsided. Sighing, she lifted her head and looked at her friends through red-rimmed, puffy eyes. “I feel better. Thank you.” Both women smiled as Hermione dropped her head on Ginny’s shoulder.



“You’re not going to resign. Do you understand?” Pansy gritted out angrily. “You have nothing to be ashamed of, he’s the cad. Listen to me; you are Hermione Granger, brightest witch of our age, career woman extraordinaire. You will go back to work tomorrow looking fabulous, you will do your job brilliantly, and you will not fall prey to anymore of Draco’s ploys. I want you to ignore him fully and completely.”



Ginny chuckled at Pansy’s impassioned speech while Hermione grinned weakly. “That sounds like a wonderful plan. The only problem is the man affects me to the point that I don’t act like myself at all. Professionalism seems to fly right out the window. I don’t know what to do about it.”



The dark beauty closed her eyes. “Oh gods, he’s going to kill me, but he’s brought this on himself.” Opening her eyes, she took a breath before saying, “Draco’s been manipulating the situation and you this entire time.”



Hermione felt as if the world just tilted on its axis. “What does that mean exactly, Pansy?” she asked tentatively, afraid of the answer.



“He was at The Leaky Cauldron, the night of our last girls Hogwarts reunion,” blurted Ginny. “He sent over the first bottle of fire whiskey.”



“And, he was the reason Adrian cancelled your lunch date. He tried to get him to cancel dinner with you as well but Adrian refused,” Pansy added.



“Draco is also the creative genius behind the project you proposed to him.” Both women finally admitted.



Hermione sat shell-shocked not believing her ears. She knew something was amiss but never had she imagined that it would be this. “I . . . okay.” She stood up and began pacing towards the kitchen then back to the living room.



Silence.



More silence.



And still the silence persisted.



Ginny squeaked out, “Hermione?”



Hermione stopped pacing and turned to look at her friends quizzically. “Why?”



Pansy was the first to reply. “I think because he . . .”



“Not Draco. You,” she cut off Pansy, staring at the dark-haired woman sitting on her couch. “And you, Ginny, how could you keep this from me?” She turned accusing eyes towards the decidedly frightened redhead.



“We thought we were helping.” Ginny’s green-eyes widened in worry.



“Helping? Who? Draco? How? By making a fool of me?”



Both women jumped up with an adamants cries of ‘no’ and ‘never.’ Hermione remained nonplussed. “Please explain it to me then. Please explain how two of my closest and dearest friends set me up for what is quite possibly the worst heartache at the hands of the man that despises me most in the world.”



“Oh Hermione, are you blind? Draco hardly despises you. He’s like an open book when it comes to you. For someone who loves books as much as you do, you keep refusing to read what’s before your very eyes when it comes to Draco Malfoy.” Pansy countered emphatically.



Fed up, Hermione yelled, “What are you saying Pansy? Stop talking in riddles.”



“I . . . I can’t. I just can’t get into anymore than I already have. I swore an oath, all right? A wizard’s oath. I can’t break it. However, I can tell you that you need to stop reading the book just by its cover. You need to use your eyes, heart and mind to see what’s inside.” Nearly in tears, Pansy pleaded with her friend.



Ginny stepped in an attempt to calm the situation down. “Hermione, think! More importantly, put together all the pieces of this puzzle that’s all laid out right in front of you. Merlin, for someone so bloody brilliant you can be so bloody obtuse at times.”



“Oh, now you’re blaming me? Is that it? Both of you deceive me and then tell me this is all my fault? That I’m in the wrong?” Enough was enough, she was so tired and confused, and her friends were speaking in circles.



The redhead shook her head wildly. “No, of course not. It’s just . . . look please don’t be angry, please don’t hate us. We love you so much and saw how unhappy you’ve been. We can both tell that you were beginning to feel something for Draco prior to this project ever having been pulled together. You’ve been feeling something for him for quite a while. Now don’t lie. We all know it’s true. I’m sorry if you feel Pansy and I kept some truths from you. All I can tell you is we care for you and we’re hoping you’d find happiness.”



“Happiness? With Draco Malfoy?” Hermione snorted in disbelief. Was she really hearing this? Were her two closest female friends taking some kind of hallucinogenic potion? This was completely unbelievable.



A quiet ‘yes’ came from a subdued Pansy. Ginny looked ready to burst into tears any second. Hermione sighed wearily, not wanting to argue the point further. “I can’t begin to understand why you did this but I do believe you are sincere that you didn’t mean to hurt me.”



She plopped down on her couch and glanced up at her friends shaking her head incredulously. “How the hell did we get here? I don’t know what to say or do right now. I don’t know who to trust,” she said in all honesty.



“You can trust us, Hermione.” Ginny answered beseechingly. She made her way over to the couch and sat down to the left of Hermione while Pansy sat on her right. Both women hugged her tightly.



“We’re so bloody sorry.” Pansy sniffed as tears flowed freely down her face.



Ginny gulped back a sob, “We love you ‘Mione.”



No longer able to remain angry, Hermione wrapped one arm around each of her friends. “I love you as well. And as for being sorry, well, we’ll see how sorry you really are when Todd’s new shipment arrives in two weeks, won’t we?” Hermione smiled a little coyly at her friends.



Pansy and Ginny both gave Hermione tentative smiles and nodded in agreement.



“Just so you know, you are not that easily forgiven. Especially since you won’t tell me everything you know. In fact, I should kick you out of my flat for not providing me with full disclosure.”



Pansy and Ginny started to protest, shaking their heads but Hermione raised her hand to quell their objections. “I said I should . . . but I won’t. The truth is I need you both and let’s face it; life’s too short to stay angry. Let’s finish dinner, eat that entire chocolate ganache then polish off the rest of these bottles of wine. After which, you can help me select my outfits for the week, okay? Getting pissed should make it more of a challenge to coordinate the right clothes and shoes, don’t you think?” She grinned wryly.



As the evening drew to a close, the three friends worked through several awkward silences with an occasional outburst from Hermione. However, the strength of their friendship made it impossible to stay angry for any length of time.



After her friends had hugged her goodbye with heartfelt apologies and pleading for forgiveness, Hermione lay on her bed thinking about Draco manipulating bastard Malfoy. That machinistic sod.



She mused, ohhh, the little sod did enjoy his secrets. Pansy and Ginny’s revelations had provided her more insight than they knew. It also helped explain some of his little nuances when they began working together, like offering her a fire whiskey on her first day at the Manor. Oh, that prick!



A very Slytherin-like smile curved her lips as she pondered over her eye-opening evening.



She’d allowed her emotions to get the better of her thus far. While she might savor his sexual dominance, she also enjoyed an equal playing ground and didn’t relish being played for a fool.



Damn his looks and that bloody sexy voice of his. But no more! Oh no. Draco obviously had been studying her, manipulating her behind the scenes and Merlin knows what else he’d been up to. She was going to turn the tables on him, study him, learn as much as she could about the real Draco. It was time to start thinking and acting like a Slytherin.



If he wanted to play with fire, she’d give it to him with both barrels and ensure he was burned. If he wanted to play games then she would move the pieces to suit her needs not his. If he wanted to hide behind his icy façade, then Hermione would thaw and draw him out then pounce.



Malfoy had some grand plan in place and she was going to get to the bottom of it. When she had all her evidence, she would confront that arrogant arse and demand he come clean on everything, enough of all these childish games.



Draco Malfoy was going to wish he hadn’t toyed with one Hermione Jean Granger.



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And the game is afoot!



Well, I think I need a night out with the girls. Thanks for reading.